


The befuddling case of Hijikata Toushirou getting drenched on Christmas Eve.

by citrus_season



Category: Gintama
Genre: Anal Sex, Barebacking, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon, Prostate Massage, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:00:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28258842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrus_season/pseuds/citrus_season
Summary: Itinerary for tonight's stay at home date night in no particular order :Secrets.Sex.Borderline hypothermia.Hand holding.
Relationships: Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki
Comments: 15
Kudos: 128
Collections: Gintama Mini Secret Santa 2020





	The befuddling case of Hijikata Toushirou getting drenched on Christmas Eve.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Trapid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trapid/gifts).



> Hey, Trapid! I wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year!

It’s nearly midnight and Hijikata stands on the other side of Gintoki’s doorway drenched from head-to-toe. His dark hair drips water along ghastly pale cheekbones, then onto his trembling lips. Hijikata wraps his fingers around a fistful of Gintoki’s ivory kimono, “L-l-le-let m-m-me i--i,”

Gintoki makes a horrified sound.

Almost comically, Hijikata’s expression sets into a determined frown. He takes two heavy-sounding steps inside and Gintoki finds himself in a python grip. That is, if the python was the coldest part of a refrigerator. Hijikata rubs his chilled cheek against Gintoki’s warm neck slowly. Gintoki screams.

Acting single-mindedly, he grips Hijikata’s arm and pulls him inside. Gintoki closes the door with his foot, and drags him to the bathroom, Hijikata’s wet clothes rustling heavily as they walk. Once inside, Gintoki turns on the shower and pulls him underneath the stream.

“You bastard!” Hijikata yells when cold water comes out of the showerhead. He grabs Gintoki’s collar with tremor-ridden hands, “Are you tryin-g t-to k-kill m-m-”

“Can you even feel more cold? What does it matter? You’re a lizard, Hijikata-kun.” He says, pulling him aside. Gintoki feels for the water’s temperature with his hand, and he shoves the man underneath it once more only when he feels the water has become warm. 

Hijikata’s navy blue kinagashi is so dark when soaked in water that it blends seamlessly with his black Juban. Gintoki suddenly realizes the most obvious thing and moves to pull off Hijikata’s clothes. His Obi is harder to unknot with the wetness dragging it down, his fingers struggling within its folds. Hijikata keeps trembling, and from what Gintoki can see, his fingers are cramping. 

Gintoki clicks his tongue. He gets down, “Hands on my shoulders,” he says. Once he knows that Hijikata won’t slip, Gintoki grabs his ankle and places his foot on his risen knee, then peels off his black Tabi. His bare foot is icy against Gintoki’s palm. A mean shudder passes through his naked body. Gintoki swiftly turns on the tap and fills the tub.

Twenty minutes later, Hijikata is resting against one side of the bathtub with his head thrown back tiredly against the wall. Gintoki is sitting in the same tub across from him with two palms rubbing Hijikata’s gradually warming hand between them. Hijikata groans when Gintoki presses harder.

“Are you trying to turn my hand into paste?”

“ _Huh?_ ” Gintoki says derisively. He takes his other hand and starts to massage it the same way, letting friction soak heat into his skin, “Why don’t you try sounding more thankful? Who arrives on a date nearly dying? Hey you, if you’re dying, go somewhere else! I don’t want to be framed for killing the Shinsengumi’s most treasured tyrant.” 

Hijikata rolls his head and groans like his soul is leaving his body, “Do you ever shut up? I’m fine now aren’t I?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Gintoki pulls Hijikata’s calf into his side and runs his hands up and down his muscles. “You aren’t fine here,” he says, pointing to his own head, "Where the hell did you manage to drown in the middle of Winter? Did you break a frozen pond? Did you jump into the sewers? Hijikata-kun, how old are you?”

Hijikata sits up straight and slaps his palm against the surface of the now lukewarm water. It splashes with emotion, “I should have written _Yorozuya_ with my blood and died on your doorstep!”

“See?!” Gintoki’s voice echoes against the bathroom walls and comes back louder into his own ears, “All you cops are so shrewd! Where did your humanity go?”

“It went into a dead cat’s anus and died!”

Gintoki clutches his own head for dramatic effect and wails, “When will you let that go?!” 

Hijikata nudges his knee with his foot. Gintoki looks up to see that Hijikata’s cheeks, nose and forehead are flushed a healthy amount. “I’m warmed up now,” he says calmly, “So stop provoking me or I’ll really drown here and write your name on the wall.”

“Is that your contingency plan? To die and frame me?”

“Yeah.” Hijikata says, expression light, “So you better be good to me.”

“I _am_ good to you,” Gintoki puts both his hands on the top of Hijikata’s knees and spreads them.  
  


“Hey,” Hijikata says, “What the hell?”

“Oh, I thought this was the perfect time for you to say, ‘warm me up more, Gin-san,’ so I was just going with the flow.”

“I think your brain went down the flow too.”

Gintoki nearly laughs. Instead he braces both arms against the tub and stands up with a smile. “If you’re gonna stay here, refill the tub with hot water.” He picks up Hijikata’s wet clothes from the floor. “Hey,” he says, “You didn't wear a Haori?”

“I did.”

“Where is it?”

Hijikata’s expression gives nothing away. 

“Went into a dead cat’s anus and died.”

  
  
  
  
  


Just when Gintoki is settled under the kotatsu with a tangerine, Hijikata comes in and wraps his arms around his shoulders, leaning all of his weight onto Gintoki’s back. Gintoki grunts. “There’s Okayu on the stove.” 

Hijikata pushes his hands against the table for support and gets up. Soft padded footsteps fade gradually into the kitchen. “You made this now?” Hijikata’s voice thins out as it travels to him.

“Leftovers,” He calls back, “I got munch-y before you arrived.” He rubs a tangerine between his hands, preparing it for peeling.

“You eat Okayu when you get munch-y?”

“What’s wrong with Okayu? Don’t look down on Okayu, dammit. It’s food for the soul.”

“Nothing’s wrong with Okayu. Your actions match your hair color.”

“My hair is _Silver,_ asswipe!” In the middle of his sentence, the lights go off.

Gintoki hears a small thud and a shrieked _Ouch._ “Where are the candles?” Hijikata’s voice sounds closer now that there was nothing else to intercept it.

“Bottom leftmost cabinet!” 

He hears him before he sees him. Hijikata settles next to him and carefully places the hot bowl of Okayu on the table. Holding the candle above the table diagonally, Hijikata lets a few drops of wax drip onto its surface. He then carefully fixes the candle on it before it dries up, one hand holding back the sleeve of his kimono.

Now that he can see again, Gintoki starts to peel the fruit in his hand. The smell of citrus fills the air around them like it's the most obvious thing. Beside him, Gintoki can hear Hijikata blow on a spoonful of hot porridge. 

“No mayo?” 

“Couldn’t find it in the dark.” Hijikata replies, “It’s not optimal but I didn’t want it to go cold.”

Gintoki smiles to himself, a cozy warmth in his chest. He plops a slice of Tangerine into his mouth.

“It’s Christmas tomorrow.” Hijikata says. Their shoulders brush.

Gintoki hums, and turns his gaze to him. A red juban underlines a steel grey kimono. He’s wearing a haori over it, a calm dull blue. Everything belongs to Gintoki. The flame of the candle flickers in his eyes and turns them into a novel color. Hijikata’s one cheek is filled as he leisurely chews on the Okayu. He looks at Gintoki without any obligation. 

Gintoki picks up a glistening grain of rice from the corner of Hijikata’s mouth with his thumb and licks it up. “What about Christmas?” Gintoki's voice is deeper between them.

“Your kids still believe in Santa?” Hijikata asks, his volume just as intimate. 

“They don’t, but Kagura still demands that he visit her. Her dad and I alternate each year and cosplay Santa-san.”

Hijikata scoffs, “What’s with that?”

“We had a bit of a confusion one year, so we made a timetable. This year’s his turn.”

Hijikata hums, blows on another spoonful. Gintoki rests his chin on his fist. “So?” he asks, “How did you get wet?”

Hijikata coughs into his fist. He clears his throat, then he says resolutely, “Let’s have sex.”

Gintoki’s jaw drops. “Seriously?” He asks, “You want to use your body to evade answering?”

“ _Who_ is using _what?_ Is it a crime to want to have sex with your own boyfriend?”

“What are you hiding, Hijikata-kun?”

“I’m hiding nothing.”

“Like hell. The more you talk, the more suspicious it becomes." Gintoki makes a gesture, thumb and index fingers of both hands moving outwards as if announcing a film title, "The befuddling case of Hijikata Toushirou getting drenched on Christmas Eve.”

“You just! Leave it alone, dammit!” Hijikata slams the spoon down the table for effect. The flame flickers precariously and both of them shut up. Gintoki looks at the candle as if it will become sentient and burn down the whole place, and sighs heavily when his worst fears don’t come true.

Suddenly, Hijikata shudders violently. Gintoki frowns, and brushes his knuckles against Hijikata’s cheek. He’s unexpectedly cold. Now that he realizes it, the apartment is gradually cooling down from the lack of heating. “You,” he says, “If you’re cold, you have to tell me.”

“What would telling you bring?” Hijikata asks, even as he chases Gintoki’s retreating hand. “I’m fine,” he says, “You just run hotter.”

“C’mere,” Gintoki murmurs, and pulls him by his bicep into his side. He wraps both arms around him.

Hijikata rests his cheek against Gintoki’s neck. A few minutes pass in comfortable familiarity. Then, “Do you want to have sex?” Hijikata asks quietly into his skin.

Gintoki looks down. Hijikata keeps his gaze with an open expression. “What’s this?” Gintoki asks, amused.

Hijikata rolls his eyes. He takes one of Gintoki's hands and presses it against his neck. Gintoki can feel his heartbeat drum loudly against the heel of his palm. "Touching my skin like this, doesn't it burn you up?" he asks. Gintoki feels his own heart skip painfully.

Hijikata keeps Gintoki's hand in place with his own and pushes himself up onto his knees. In movements which look dragged down by the heavy garments he's adorned in, Hijikata straddles Gintoki's lap.

Gintoki has to tilt his head up to look at him, and Hijikata presses his forehead to his. Then he speaks, he says, "It burns me up, Gintoki. Your touch," he pushes his hand past the kimono's collar and onto his skin kept warm underneath Gintoki's clothes. "It burns long after your hands are gone."

When Hijikata blinks, his lashes brush against Gintoki's cheek, and his kiss tastes overly sweet from the sugar Gintoki prefers to add to his Okayu. With a twist of his wrists, Gintoki grabs onto the kimono and tugs it down Hijikata’s broad shoulders.

Candlelight lines the expanse of his neck and shoulders the same way the rising Sun paints the clouds. Gintoki kisses a hardened nipple open-mouthed, and Hijikata arches his chest into him with a shuddered inhale when his teeth press around it.

"Gintoki," he calls, "Gin,"

Gintoki’s hand curves around Hijikata’s thick thigh, his fingers pressing into the straining muscle. It's something Gintoki likes to savor, how Hijikata’s flesh which could be so supple and giving underneath his grip, could also be so tightly wound up. What he already knows of the body's behaviour shouldn't be this captivating, but the more Hijikata unravels, the more he wants toㅡ

Hijikata tugs him up by his hair and takes his mouth. He pushes his tongue in, his other hand pushing at Gintoki's clothes. With a grunt, Gintoki’s hand travels up and presses against Hijikata’s crotch, only for his hand to meet skin.

When Gintoki fixes him under his gaze, Hijikata only breathes out a shudder. Gintoki’s hand wraps around his hard, naked cock. Hijikata throws his head back and moans. 

"Forgot your underwear?" 

"You aren't," Hijikata’s breath hitches, "You aren't supposed to wear any, under the kimono,"

"Hijikata-kun," Gintoki mouths the words right against the shell of his ear, his thumb pushed up against the screw of his jaw, "You're acting desperate." 

Gintoki rubs another thumb over Hijikata’s cockhead with just enough pressure, and Hijikata’s legs tremble around him as if he's experiencing his own personal natural disaster, "You like me desperate." Hijikata breathes.

"I do." Gintoki agrees easily. He presses a nail into his wet slit, and Hijikata’s body shudders and bows into him. Gintoki responds in stride, his hand rubbing down his back soothingly, "We don't have lube." 

Hijikata’s cheeks turn ruddy. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Gintoki blinks, and pushes his fingers between Hijikata’s asscheeks. They get wet. Gintoki’s jaw tightens.

"You,"

"In the bathroom earlier, wanted you to,"

"How many did you,"

"Three. You can put it in,"

Gintoki covers the back of Hijikata’s head with his hand, and together with a supportive hold on his waist, he pushes him down to the floor a little away from the kotatsu. Gintoki lays next to him, propped up on his elbow, looming half over him.

He lifts Hijikata’s thigh over his own, spreading his legs. Gintoki touches Hijikata’s wet hole with two fingers, his legs twitching when Gintoki presses into the rim, spreading the lube around sensitive skin. 

Gintoki pulls in his own legs, keeping Hijikata’s thighs spread open as a consequence. He leans down to press a lingering kiss to Hijikata’s mouth and pushes three fingers into his hole. Hijikata gasps into the kiss. His back arches into Gintoki’s body, every muscle held tense. Inside, Hijikata’s wet walls cling on to his fingers tightly. 

“Baby,” Gintoki mouths against the angle of his jaw bone, “You’re gonna hurt yourself.” 

Hijikata exhales shakily, then lets his upper body melt into the floor. His walls clench around him then relax, letting Gintoki’s fingers reach deeper, move easier. Gintoki smiles into his cheek fondly.

Gintoki curls his fingers, pushing against where he thinks Hijikata’s prostate to be. He observes his expressions, and then Hijikata’s eyebrows pinch in, and his thighs jerk, and Gintoki keeps his fingers right there, rubbing deep circles into the gland.

Hijikata immediately tries to close his legs, but Gintoki hikes his leg up along with Hijikata’s. He gasps, hands closing around Gintoki’s bicep tightly.

“Is this what you wanted?” Gintoki presses his lips to his brow bone, “Wanted me to take care of you?”

“ _No_ ,”

“No?”

“I’m gonna _cum, ah_ ㅡ _don’t_ ,”

“Then cum,”

“No,” Hijikata turns his head, lips to Gintoki’s cheek, “Want you first.”

Then Hijikata pushes his chest, and Gintoki goes. He gets between Gintoki’s legs, lays down and lets his forearm carry his upper body’s weight. From underneath his spread kimono, Hijikata pulls Gintoki’s dick out of his underwear. It’s hard, curved up. Gintoki leans back on his hands, head tilted, gaze entirely on the man between his legs.

Hijikata eyes his dick like there’s nothing else in the room. He opens his mouth and presses his tongue right along the thickest vein, eyes closing. Gintoki runs his fingers through his dark hair.

As far as blowjobs went, Hijikata had some habits. He kisses the tip first, and Gintoki loves to watch this because his lips come away coated slick with cum. Then he opens his mouth and kisses the side of his head intimately. Then, he scrapes his teeth lightly against the skin and impishly glances up at him. Gintoki doesn’t mind. 

Sometimes, Gintoki wonders if sucking dick brings comfort to him, with the way he mouths at it with his eyes barely open, slowly becoming more lethargic. Then Gintoki has to tug his hair, bring him back. And Hijikata would open his mouth, let a dollop of spit drip down his cock and swallow him down as far as he can go.

Gintoki throws his head back with a groan, his arm tense with the urge to push him down until his nose is in his pubes and his throat closes around him spastically. Instead he tucks some of the little hairs behind Hijikata’s ear and presses the warm skin of his ear between a thumb and index finger. 

What he can’t swallow, Hijikata jerks off with his hand. He bobs his head up and down a few times before he pulls off. Strings of saliva and precum droop filthily from his glistening lips, connected to his dick. Hijikata sits up, lets his hand spread the wetness down to the base of Gintoki’s cock.

Then he leans down once more and presses his mouth to his head, as if leaving a kiss goodbye. He looks up from his spot, gaze molten. 

Gintoki tugs his head back by his hair and kisses him urgently.

“On your back,” he says. Hijikata goes, and Gintoki settles between his legs. Gintoki shrugs his kimono off his shoulders. Hijikata gives him a prolonged look with a heavy gaze, and reaches his hand towards him. Gintoki leans into his embrace, and Hijikata pulls him closer with a sturdy grip on his nape. They kiss, and this kiss is the most tender yet. 

Most of Gintoki’s weight is balanced on one forearm, and with the other hand, he props up Hijikata’s heavy thigh. He kisses Hijikata’s cheek, and pushes in.

Hijikata’s shoulders hunch up like a small bird’s. His insides clench around him, even as he’s being penetrated. Gintoki slowly pushes in till the hilt, his balls to Hijikata’s ass. Hijikata moans, his hand trembling over Gintoki’s heart. 

Gintoki kisses him, pulls out and slowly pushes in. Hijikata gasps into the kiss, hands grappling at the pool of cloth around Gintoki’s waist. Gintoki takes his hands, and intertwines their fingers. He straightens, cages Hijikata in between two arms and starts thrusting.

Hijikata’s breaths begin to quicken. 

Gintoki revels in it for a moment, the feeling of tight heat clinging to his cock, clenching in time with Hijikata’s soft grunts. He looks down through his bangs, looks at the sweat beginning to bead along Hijikata’s pale skin. He looks at the pink flesh of his nipples, takes in the flush spread over his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, his spit and cum coated lips. He looks so tender getting fucked, like a ripe peach. 

Gintoki leans down and fits his teeth around his cheek. Hijikata tugs his hair immediately, “What?” he asks breathlessly, “Don’t, don’t bite my face, what the fu, _ngh!_ ”

“I’ll eat you up,” Gintoki says.

“What?” Hijikata gasps.

Gintoki brushes his lips against his ear, “Toushirou,” he says, “Feel perfect on my cock.”

Hijikata shudders violently. Gintoki sits up straight, pulls his waist more onto his lap so his dick slides in deeper. Leaning in, he locks Hijikata’s hips under his weight, compact. Increasing the pressure in his pelvis, Gintoki sets a rough pace.

“ _Wai_ ㅡ” Hijikata flails, his nails dig into Gintoki’s shoulders. Every breath is punched out of him like a moan. His voice keeps breaking. Gintoki wraps his hand around Hijikata’s dick and thumbs at his slit. 

Hijikata throws his head back, the long arch of his neck a thing of wonder. Gintoki pushes in deep and grinds his cock slowly. Hijikata sobs. His walls clench tightly around him.

“Sweetheart,” Gintoki breathes, “Downstairs is a bar, you know?” He balances his weight on his forearms, cages Hijikata in once again. “With so much silence, I bet they can hear you.” 

Hijikata gasps, eyes widening dramatically. There’s so much saliva pooled in his mouth, Gintoki can’t look away. He cradles his jaw, pushes in his thumb under his tongue, and watches as the spit spills around his finger, over his lip and down his chin.

“What a pretty little mouth,” he murmurs mostly to himself. He looks up into an overwhelmed gaze, “Suits you, baby.”

Gintoki can’t tell if he imagines it or not, but Hijikata’s eyes fill with wetness. It could also just be the candle light dancing in his features, however it wouldn’t be the first time Hijikata cried during sex from too much sensation. Gintoki nudges his cheek with his nose, and Hijikata blinks up at him, closes his lips around Gintoki’s thumb and starts sucking.

Gintoki’s dick twitches inside him. Being swallowed up with single-minded desire, Hijikata always unravels so prettily under Gintoki’s calloused hands.

He sits back up, one hand holding him in place by the waist, the other around his cock, jerking him off. He sets a quick, rough pace. Hijikata can’t seem to help his moans. He covers his own mouth with one hand, but is barely able to hold in his sounds. 

Gintoki presses his hand over Hijikata’s pelvic bone, and puts pressure on his core slightly. Hijikata blinks up at him rapidly, trying to close his legs but unable to do so around Gintoki. His voice breaks even further. 

“So good for me.” Gintoki says, and the first of his tears fall down his ruddy cheeks.

“Don’t _be_ ㅡ” he gasps, his words dragging, “So, sㅡ _ah, ah, ah! Rough!_ ”

Gintoki grunts. “Why not?” 

“Ba _stard! Fucki_ ㅡ _hahh! Nghh, bastard, fuck you!”_

Gintoki throws his head back for a second, pleasure pooling hotly in his gut, the walls clinging to his dick unbearably soft and tight, “Yeah,” he groans, “You are.”

Hijikata's gasp is raspy, “I’m cumming,” he says, trying to pry Gintoki’s hand off his dick, but to no avail, “I’m _cumming I’m cummingI’m cumminㅡ!_ ”

Hijikata’s head hits the floor with a thud. Gintoki slows down and breathes harshly as Hijikata clenches rhythmically around his cock.

He jerks him off through it. Hijikata’s cum spurts and spills around Gintoki’s fingers and over his clothes. Gintoki watches Hijikata’s arched chest tremble precariously, then relax down onto the floor slowly, heaving for breath. 

Gintoki kisses his lips, his nose, and hikes up both of Hijikata’s thighs into the creases of his elbows, and picks up the pace again.

“ _Gintoki,”_ Hijikata whimpers, clenching so tightly around him it’s almost painful. He grabs Gintoki's bicep in a vice grip, his thighs shaking violently around him. 

But he doesn’t tell him to stop. Tears fall down his cheeks like dew drops. Hijikata wraps his legs around him and pulls him into a deep kiss. 

“Where,” Gintoki gasps like he’s drowning.

“Inside,” Hijikata rasps, voice thick, lethargic, “Do it inside,”

With a clenched fist, Gintoki buries himself deep inside Hijikata’s ass. His orgasm washes over him, and for a long minute he’s lost in the feeling which rushes inside him like heavy ocean waves. Black spots stretch themselves thinly into warm light behind his closed lids. Hijikata rubs his hand soothingly across his lower back.

Gintoki sighs wearily, limbs tingling with too much warmth. He feels a bead of sweat drip down his face. Then there are hands in his hair pushing his bangs up. Hijikata carefully kisses his forehead, his cheekbone and finally his mouth. Gintoki pulls out, and Hijikata grunts. Gintoki melts into the man under him.

“Fuck,” Hijikata groans, chest expanding and collapsing. The lights come on. “ _Fuck.”_

“What?” Gintoki mumbles into his collarbones.

“I don’t wanna clean.” Hijikata says. Usually Hijikata preferred an organized environment, and that cleanliness especially extended towards his own body. Rarely did he laze around after sex, or rather, Gintoki observed that he _couldn’t_ relax without washing up. 

Even when he looked visibly tired, there were never any outward complaints because his lover also valued self-discipline as if it were a life-force that ran parallel to his blood. Gintoki realizes that he must be more worn out tonight than he imagined. 

“Are you hungry?”

“Kind of, but,” Hijikata sniffs, runs a hand through Gintoki’s sweaty hair, “I need a cigarette. All of mine got wet.”

“Eat first. Do you want me to make you something?”

Hijikata hums curiously, the sound like a bell, “No,” He declines, “It’s bad for my digestion.” 

Gintoki pushes up on his elbows. He stares him down with a scowl, “You’re so prickly. It’s okay once in a while right?”

Hijikata frowns even as his eyelids droop, “Fuck off. I like taking care of my body.”

“You literally have cum in your ass.”

“That’s besides the point.”

Gintoki rolls his eyes. Hijikata blinks up lethargically. 

"There's a new vending machine down the street."

Hijikata’s eyes brighten immediately. "Fucking move then!"

  
  
  
  
  


About half an hour later, Gintoki walks down the steps with Hijikata behind him. They’ve taken a bath and changed into fresh clothes, again. Now, Hijikata is wearing a fluffy pale yolk yellow scarf which hides half of his face. Gintoki keeps having to press his smile into his fist. Hijikata looks like a chick. 

Snack Otose is closed for the night, it’s around 3 a.m in the middle of Winter. Their shoulders brush as they walk into the quiet night.

“Oh, it’s Christmas.” He realizes.

Hijikata hums. Gintoki cups his own hands and blows warm air into them. Hijikata takes his hand, and pulls it into his jacket pocket. Even as Gintoki smiles, his face tingles.

Right down the street, and tucked into a corner of the intersection, the vending machine invites them with bright fairy lights. In a childish looking font, _“Merry Christmas, you bastards!”_ screams at them in violent colours.

“Vandalism?”

“No. Kabukichou.”

Hijikata snorts, and pushes in a coin. The moment he gets a hold of his Mayoboros, he picks one out with his teeth and lights it up, all with one hand, clutching Gintoki’s hand securely in the other. A myriad of marriage-related jokes live and die on the tip of Gintoki’s tongue. He’s sure they won’t sound like jokes at all.

Hijikata exhales smoke, and grimaces like he’s about to cry.

“Hey,” Gintoki urges, “What’s happening?”

“Shut up,” Hijikata says in a wobbly voice, “I really needed this.”

“Hey hey,” Gintoki says, “Addiction sure is scary. Look kids, don’t become like him.”

Hijikata presses the knuckle of his thumb to the inner corners of his eyes, the cigarette handsomely held between his index and middle finger. He looks like a movie poster in motion. 

“You don’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

“...Nothing.”

Gintoki tugs at their joined hands, “What is it? Does this have something to do with you drowning,”

“I didn’t drown.”

“I told you it’s suspicious, you’re not very good at being discreet.”

“Ah, enough, I’m gonna ignore you now.”

“Baby, you can never ignore me.”

“Watch me, baby.”

“No, baby, _watch me._ ”

Hijikata huffs and breaks eye-contact first. He takes a drag. Something neon catches Gintoki’s eye.

“Let’s go, it’s cold.” Hijikata mumbles, suddenly sounding tired.

Gintoki stands his ground and Hijikata’s step stutters. “What,” he says and follows Gintoki’s eyes.

An entire shelf is filled with Gashapon. “No.” says Hijikata.

“Yes.”

“They’re a scam!” He gestures towards the machine, “It’s just a money black-hole!”

“Listen,” Gintoki says, “I get that you’ve clearly been disappointed with these magic balls of hope,”

“They’re just dirty balls of Capitalism,”

“But dream a little! You don’t know, one day you may wake up and become a millionaire, and suddenly Ketsuno Ana is calling your name out specifically on TV, not that she isn’t doing that now,”

“You do realize we’re _dating_ ,”

“And these _i_ _nnocent_ looking Gashapon,”

“They literally look like they’re on acid,”

“Might be the doorway to fulfilling your next dream!”

Hijikata gives him a blank stare. “Still no.”

“There could genuinely be a limited edition Ketsuno Ana chibi keychain in there and you’re depriving me of the opportunity.”

Hijikata blows out smoke indifferently, “I’m doing no such thing. You’re free to spend your money on whatever you want. Heck, why does the weather girl have merch in the first place?”

Gintoki pauses. He sniffs. “So,” he says, “I didn’t bring my wallet.”

Hijikata blinks. “You’re unbelievable.” 

“What I am, is honest.”

“My foot! I’m not giving you,” Hijikata leans down and squints at the label underneath, “A hundred yen? That’s too much.”

“Give me back my tax money, thief!”

“I’m leaving.”

Gintoki’s grip on his hand is sturdy. “Come on,” He urges, “It’s Christmas. It's the surprise-present season! What if it’s something really good? What if it’s that strange Mayonnaise mascot merch?”

Hijikata’s sharp gaze moulds into one of childish wonder. He blinks at Gintoki. It’s stupid how much Gintoki wants to kiss him.

“Okay,” Hijikata concedes, “Just one.” He places a coin in Gintoki’s extended palm.

When the neon green plastic ball is in their hands, Gintoki for a moment wonders if the intensity of their curiosity would burn a hole through its shell. He meets Hijikata’s gaze, who looks nervous from all the anticipation. 

Hijikata nods, Gintoki gulps, and he twists the Gashapon open with a pop.

Inside, they find a set of stickers of various sea animals.

“Give me back my Hundred yen.” Hijikata says in baritone, “Give me back my dreams!”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Gintoki is pulled out of his sleep by a continuous sound of a bell chiming. After a certain point of repetition, Gintoki moves from his place on the bridge between reality and dreams, and walks towards wakefulness. He stirs in his place, the sheets uncomfortably chilly against his warm skin.

Eventually, he recognizes the sound to be the doorbell. For the next few minutes, Gintoki waits for whoever is at the door to assume they're not in and go away. 

And when he realizes that that wasn't an option, he sits up with a horrid groan. Hijikata’s limp arm falls from his chest. Gintoki glances at him. There's all sorts of stickers stuck to his cheeks and tangled in his hair.

He catches a hard jigglypuff sticker stuck to his closed eyelid, and without much thought, he removes it. He gives Hijikata’s sleep swollen cheek a peck and gets up. 

As Gintoki leaves the room, he throws the blanket over Hijikata’s sleeping form with his foot. The bell doesn't stop ringing.

"Yes, yes!" He groans, eyes barely opening. He steps on a random Gashapon shell and shrieks in pain.

"Fuck!" He yells, dragging the door open, "What is it?!"

On the other side of the door, Yamazaki stands with a blase expression. 

"Yamazaki-kun," He says, voice rumbling deep within his chest, "Why're you being so annoying so early in the morning? Normally, someone would _leave_ if the owner isn't responding to the door after a few minutes! Read the room a little, will you?!"

"Danna," Yamazaki calls his title like it's a punishment. "I have a delivery for Hijikata-san. And," he says, looking slightly concerned, "Why is the porch filled with Gashapon shells?"

"Just a little gamble with fate." Gintoki extends his hand, "Do you want me to give it to him, or is there something you want to tell him?"

"Actually," Yamazaki says, looking a little hesitant "The delivery is for you." 

"Huh?"

Yamazaki passes on a bag, and within it there's a manila envelope. "Kondo-san told me to tell you all about it because he was certain that Hijikata-san would remain tight-lipped." 

He scratches his head sheepishly, "Actually, I can't run personal errands, but I wanted to give Tama-san a present and I was on the way _anyway_ , so _,_ Kondo-sanㅡ"

"Yamazaki-kun, I'm aware of your ardour for our lovely poster girl, but I'm literally about to fall asleep standing."

"Right." Yamazaki says once again in a jaded tone, "Hijikata-san wanted to give you an unpublished JUMP chapter as a Christmas present. So he requested an author over and over again for months until they accepted. He worked really hard! Actually, The editor for that manga was the biggest hurdle, the author was actually very agreeable, even _happy_ that someoneㅡ"

Gintoki slams his hand against the door frame, feeling manic. His heart was beating too fast for him to catch up. Yamazaki looks at him with empathy.

"He was supposed to bring it with him last night." He continues, tone gentler, "Then we got a call last night from a woman. Her son slipped and fell off the bridge and into the stream underneath. She told us Hijikata-san jumped in and saved the boy, and gave him his haori. She called us because she wanted to return it."

This was a lot of information for someone whose thoughts were still stuck at _"Hijikata-san", "you",_ and _"Christmas present."_ Still, Gintoki did his darndest to let each word sink in.

"She also told us that the papers he was carrying with him were completely ruined. But Hijikata-san made one more copy of them before, _just_ in case. We thought he'd come back to the barracks to get them, but he didn't."

Now Yamazaki scratches his neck, thoughtful, "Hijikata-san worked overtime just so he could take this leave without any worry. It felt unfair for that to be ruined, so here you are, danna."

Gintoki looks down at the envelope, overflowing with feeling. 

"And danna," he calls, "'Toshi works himself to the bone for the people he cares about, so if you don't treasure that, we will make a carcass out of you! Merry Christmas!' Is the additional message I was asked to deliver from Kondo-san." He bows, says, "I'll see you later." 

For a long moment, Gintoki can't move. Then all at once, like a beast he stomps his way inside. He enters the bedroom, but Hijikata is no longer on the bed. He hears the toilet flush.

With a dangerous momentum, Gintoki opens the bathroom door. Hijikata is peeing, and he looks back over his shoulder with an affronted look. 

"Gintoki, what the _fuck_ ,"

Gintoki takes one step, cradles Hijikata’s face and kisses him. When he pulls back, Hijikata makes a face. "Morning breath," he gags, zipping himself up. 

He pushes Gintoki out of the bathroom and locks the door. 

He comes out after a minute. Gintoki hasn't moved from there. "Now," Hijikata says, "What was that about?" 

Gintoki shows him the envelope. Hijikata’s eyes widen, then his cheeks grow red like apples. "That," he stutters, "I wanted to give it to you, last night,"

"I know. Yamazaki gave it to me. Is that okay?"

Hijikata takes a pause, then nods, his expression open. "Merry Christmas, Gintoki." He smiles.

"You," Gintoki exhales. He throws his head back against the wall. There's a lot he wants to say, but at the same time he doesn't think words can justify what he feels. Instead, he nods, says, "Thank you, Toushirou." and hopes his smile can convey even a little bit of how _fond_ he feels about this man.

Opening and reading the manuscript was the last thing on Gintoki’s mind, but the expectant look on Hijikata’s face coerces him to open it. And then curiosity overtakes him all of a sudden. What could it be? Two Piece? Chainsaw girl? My Hero University? 

On the first page, the title reads in brave font, _GINTAMAN._

  
  
  
  
  


+BONUS 

Gintoki and Hijikata are huddled over the fifth Gashapon. Gintoki lets the acid pink shells fall from his hands. He’s too busy raging over the newest set of stickers.

“It’s a bunch of Justaway stickers! Who _needs_ these?! I’m going insane!”

“Hey,” Hijikata says darkly, “Don’t litter.”

“You know what? I’m sure the next one has a toy or something! Just _one_ more.”

“No,” Hijikata replies decidedly. He stomps on a cigarette and lights up a new one immediately. His eyes are as sharp as steel, gaze bloody. “We’re going to buy all the Gashapon in this vending machine, and if every single one of them has stickers inside then I’ll be making some arrests in the morning.”

“Okay,” Gintoki says, amused. He wonders if he sounds as _enamored_ as he feels _._ “Let’s catch ‘em all.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> A lot of things for this fest just weren't working, still, I tried my best with the ideas that I could come up with. I'm not 100% satisfied, but nonetheless, I think this fic helped me improve a lot :)! 
> 
> Also, truthfully, I just forgot the mayo. And then I thought, wow if they kiss after Gintoki ate tangerines and Hijikata ate mayo, that'd be horrid. So I cheated my way out of it by taking advantage of the blackout. anyway, haha, happy holidays you all.
> 
> [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/citrus_season)  
> 


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